Not everyone at AirBoss can say their job is to keep the manufacturing floor running. Justin Rouland—long-time employee and mechanical expert—can.

Justin maintains equipment, improves safety processes, and learns from some of the best mechanical engineers AirBoss has to offer. In his role as a Mechanic 1 at the company’s plant in Auburn Hills, Michigan, Justin keeps things at AirBoss working smoothly, safely, and efficiently.

That’s enough of a reward to keep him satisfied with his work, and it’s why Justin has been with the company for more than a decade.

More Than a Decade of Dedication to the Craft

AirBoss is the kind of company that attracts talent, from the C-Suite to the manufacturing floor. As a result, employees span the spectrum of just-out-of-school, eager part-timers to been-with-the-company-forever long-haulers. Justin is a long-hauler, and he’s only halfway through his climb up the maintenance department ladder.

Justin has been with the company long enough to remember when it was still growing into the business it is today. For a company which serves as many industries as AirBoss does, that means before all of today’s pieces were in place.

“Technically, I started 13 years ago as an operator. Back then, it was Flexible Products,” he says.

In this position, Justin planted his roots with a company that would grow to become a global supplier of rubber products and compounds. Over the next decade, he worked on the manufacturing floor and became familiar with how AirBoss operates. In fact, the company kept him on his toes as they trained him to be a more adept operator.

“They sent me to electrical training. They sent me to Fanuc robot training,” Justin shares. “I didn’t know a lot about maintenance when I started. They pretty much trained everything I know into me.”

After thirteen years, Justin is still challenged and engaged by his work at AirBoss.

Halfway Up the Maintenance Ladder

“Mechanic 1 is the third of five levels with the maintenance department,” Justin says. “Basically, I work on projects: I fix hydraulics, electrical, and pneumatic issues on the presses and secondary equipment.”

For Justin, good maintenance means completing a task quickly and correctly.

“The fastest and most efficient way to fix a press, the better off we are to continue production,” he says. “So, if I get there right away and can fix the problem quickly, we can push more parts out the door without the downtime.”

As AirBoss continues to modernize, so, too, does Justin’s training and everyday task load. For him, this means there’s still room to grow with AirBoss.

“I’m sticking around,” he says candidly. “We still have two more levels of maintenance. I just took the level two test to see where I would end up on that. I’m just waiting for the results to come back.”

More Safety Means Better Manufacturing for Everyone

“I’m a member of the safety committee,” Justin explains. “So, anything safety related, I’ll go out, take a look, fix it, and make a plan.”

It’s par for the course when equipment goes down on the manufacturing floor and needs to be fixed. Justin is familiar enough with how AirBoss operates that everyday mechanical maintenance comes easily. It’s when processes need to be improved—or equipment needs to be altered—that maintenance becomes more than just routine.

Justin is particularly engaged with the safety side of his job, and it’s through in-depth safety analyses that he’s able to improve efficiency at AirBoss. Plus, in Justin’s opinion, improved safety influences everyone’s job in a positive way.

“I’m always proud of my work on the safety committee. I believe that ‘working safe’ is always the right idea,” he replied when asked about which part of the job is most rewarding.

Safety, Efficiency, and Teamwork Keep AirBoss Operating Smoothly

“Being able to fix a press and have an operator run it safely” is what keeps Justin motivated.

The culmination of his maintenance know-how and attention to safety details contribute directly to AirBoss’s manufacturing efficiency.

The company wouldn’t be able to operate safely without people like Justin and his team. He chalks that up to “good people in the right maintenance positions.”

“I work with a great group of guys,” Justin says. “—amazing trainers who’ve helped me out a lot.”

When Justin isn’t at AirBoss, you can find him hanging out with his family, hiking, camping, and enjoying anything outdoors.